This story is featured in the Fall 2013 issue of Showcase: The Knowledge Mobilization Edition. View the complete publication at www.trentu.ca/showcase

Heritage trees provide far more than a pretty canopy on a quaint street. They offer shade, shelter, cleaner air and savings on electrical bills. Trees can also talk. They share the hidden stories of long ago and commemorate personal and community milestones.

Jasmine Cabanaw is a fourth-year History student. Through the TCCBE, she is working with the local environmental organization GreenUP on a book entitled, Beneath the Canopy: Peterborough’s Urban Forest and Heritage Trees. The book is a collection of stories and photos gathered from local residents that shares the scientific, cultural and historic anecdotes of Peterborough’s most memorable trees.

Faculty Support Helps Meet Community Need

Ms. Cabanaw’s studies at Trent complemented her work on the book. An essay she wrote as an assignment about the historical significance of the trees at Trent’s Sadleir House was translated into a photo essay that will be included in the publication.

“The book is a very creative project encompassing elements like photography, storytelling, and design,” she says. “It has also been an important learning experience for me and has shifted my perspective. My supervising professor, Finis Dunaway, assigned some very informative readings. For example, I was unaware of the cultural concept of wilderness and forests prior to this course.”

Sheryl Loucks is the book’s editor for GreenUP. She says, “Trent’s archives, historical data, and the course materials regarding community history have been a great asset. The book will credit Trent resources and is a great way for the public to see how this wonderful institution is benefiting the community. The quality of Trent students and of the departments that support them made this collaboration an excellent choice. Trent fosters creative thinking, inquisitive students, that we knew would be of value to us.”

ReFraming Film History

Today, watching movies is something we do more and more at home and on our portable digital devices. Although viewing in recent years has become a private affair, this was not always the case. Going to the movies has changed dramatically over the past century. From opulent theatres to drive-ins to multiplexes, Peterborough once had a vibrant and varying movie scene.

A new exhibit being researched by Trent Master’s student Eric Lehman, will enable local residents to learn how a film-going public in Peterborough was formed through the history of its theatres and the stories of the people who worked in and attended these venues. The TCCBE project counts as a course credit toward Mr. Lehman’s M.A.in English (Public Texts) at Trent. Not only was he able to apply the considerable research skills he has gained in part from his Master’s work; but he has also made a significant contribution to a valued local festival.

The well-known ReFrame Film Festival provides educational opportunities about social and justice issues through films created by local, national and international filmmakers.

Renowned and important directors John Greyson, Richard Fung and Alanis Obomsawin have showcased films and attended the ReFrame Film Festival (2005-present). Decades earlier they came to the Canadian Images Festival (1978-1984) as less experienced, emerging filmmakers. Widely-respected Trent Professor Emeritus John Wadland was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Images Festival and is currently involved with the ReFrame Film Festival. Roots between the festival and Trent run deep.

Through the TCCBE, Mr. Lehman worked on the installation about the film history of Peterborough for the festival alongside local historian, Robert Clarke and was guided and mentored by Professor Emeritus Wadland and Dr. Michael Eamon, principal of Lady Eaton College. Krista English of ReFrame and Brittany Cadence also sat on the committee.

Mr. Lehman said, “I think the TCCBE’s outreach has made an unbelievable impact in Peterborough and it is tremendous that they are looking for projects that serve a community need and link it with faculty and the experience of Trent’s human resources.”

Knowledge Mobilization through the Trent Centre for Community-Based Education (TCCBE)

The TCCBE is an excellent example of how Trent enables knowledge mobilization in its surrounding communities. This dynamic Centre brings together talented Trent students and faculty with local organizations to create community-based research, community service learning and experiential education opportunities. The TCCBE provides students with exceptional opportunities to lead research projects that help small, not-for-profit groups to move forward on essential initiatives – from cultural events to social service interests to projects related to environmental protection

Projects like Ms. Cabanaw’s and Mr. Lehman’s allow Trent students to contribute in a small but important way to processes of change and innovation that are ongoing in our community. At a broader level, many of the projects that the TCCBE helps facilitate enable local organizations to undertake their work with better background research and planning.

Students working with the TCCBE gain skills highly valued by today’s employers, by regularly conducting literature reviews, key-informant interviews, surveys, program evaluations, and other research activities that help organizations move forward better-informed and with a greater likelihood of success.

Posted on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.